My first traffic ticket

I have written a lot about various incidents and experiences we have had during our most adult living in the USA. I have also written about two key attitudes of this country which outweighs everything which is good about India and makes people stay back: civility and fairness.

We were visiting the Endeavour, the Space Shuttle which went to the International Space station 25 times, delivered the payload and astronauts and brought them back to the earth safely.
 

As US Government retired the Space Shuttle program, the four of them are now in four museums across the country. We, the angelinos (people from Metro Los Angeles)  got Endeavour

The sight of this 'thing' which has been to space many times, can not be described.
 

Anyway it is not about Endeavour today, but about the parking ticket I got while I had parked in their PAID parking lot. I got a ticket for not having the registration displayed on my license plate. ($50).

The ticket is incorrect because I have a valid registration, it is just that I had forgotten to put the sticker on. (We in CA get one every year when we pay registration fees).
 

Couple of days later I called them and explained, so they advised I should go to nearest Police Station and get their certification / endorsement on the ticket.

 So we went last Saturday to HBPD, when the traffic section remains closed. Though, the officer on duty saw the ticket and said "You should contest this ticket" because it is incorrectly cited. (Can you believe this ?)
 

I have known of the pain of the process of contesting so I just wanted their endorsement and pay $10 administration fee and be done with it.

I went back to HBPD (Huntington Beach Police Dept) yesterday. The officer, a senior lady, heard my case and endorsed it in no time. She said, I do not even need to see your vehicle (I did presented her my valid registration), I believe you! "WHAT" ? Anyway after endorsing she read the ticket carefully and advised me to call them and "Not to pay $50 but only $10".

The Police caring for the pocket of their residents ? WOW .. that is a new concept! (Notice the word residents, US law protects anyone who is physically present in the USA irrespective of their legal status or race or religion)

I wanted to share this experience and help you (non-US readers) understand why US is called "Developed" country. It is not about roads, cars, malls and McDonalds but it is about the "Individual human development and their strong beliefs in liberty and Justice".

USA was gifted Statue of Liberty because they believed in it and demonstrated it.

 
खुद ही को कर बुलंद इतना, कि हर तक़दीर से पहेले |

खुदा अपने बन्दे से पुछे कि बोल, तेरी रझा क्या है | |

Please share, when did 'you' feel proud about your Police Officer ? ...........